“Now we take out ‘Justice,’ ” he said, suiting the action to the word, “and simply leave the rest in alphabetical groups.”
The Inspector, following the operation, found himself faced with the arrangement:
AAA CCCC D EEEE F HHHHH III NNNN
OOOOOO RR SSSS TTTTTTTTT U W YJUSTICE.
“It doesn't seem much clearer, sir,” Flamborough pointed out with a certain tinge of enjoyment in his tone. It was not often that he had a chance of crowing over his superior.
“Wait a moment, Inspector. Just let's reflect for a bit. At any rate, the letters of ‘Justice’ are there; and that's always better than a complete blank end. Now consider what Mr. Justice might be burning to tell us about in his unobtrusive way. He had time to see the news printed in last night's Herald before he composed this little affair. Let's suppose that he got some fresh ideas from that—since this communication falls pat after the publication and he hasn't bothered us for days before that. The crucial thing was the identification of the hyoscine. We'll see if we can get the word out here.”
He sifted out the letters rapidly; and the jumble then took the form:
HYOSCINE AAA CCC D EEE F HHHH II
NNN OOOOO RR SSS TTTTTTTTT U WJUSTICE.
“It fits, so far,” Sir Clinton said, surveying his handiwork doubtfully, “but we might have got a couple of words like that out of a random jumble of fifty-six letters. It's encouraging, but far from convincing, I admit.”
He glanced over the arrangement with knitted brows.
“There seem to be a devil of a lot of T's in the thing, if we're on the right track. Now what do you associate with hyoscine in your mind, Inspector? Quick, now! Don't stop to think.”